Vietnamese cuisine is world-renowned for its emphasis on fresh ingredients, an exquisite use of spices, and a sense of balance in all dishes. It's no wonder you see slurp-able pho and pork belly-stuffed bahn mi on menus from Ho Chi Minh City to Portland: It's delicious. And with a handful of pantry staples, you can make it at home. Try your hand at some banh xeo or satiate a desperate cau lau noodle craving with these Vietnamese-inspired recipes.

Nuoc cham, the Vietnamese condiment that dresses this crunchy noodle salad, is made with lime juice, fish sauce, chiles, and sugar. The addictive mix of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors is also great as a dipping sauce for grilled meats.

The difference between this papaya salad and a Thai-style one comes down to spice and sugar, says chef and author David Tanis. The Vietnamese one is sweeter and less hot. Have all the ingredients assembled, but dress the salad just before serving.

Chef and author David Tanis insists on making broth for this restorative and iconic soup (pho ga) from scratch and warns against over­cooking the noodles: “They should be pretty firm and snappy, not flabby.”